Line-spacing mechanism for split platens



March 8, 1955 w. A. ANDERSON 2,703,642

LINE-SPACING MECHANISM FOR SPLIT PLATENS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 12,1955 lNl E N TOR WALTER A ANDERSON .BY 4m;

ATTORNEY March 1955 w. A. ANDERSON ,7 3,

' LINE-SPACING MECHANISM FOR SPLIT PLA'IENS Filed May 12, 1953 2Sheets-Sheet 2 /N VE N TOR WALTER A. ANDERSON A TTORNEV United StatesPatent LINE-SPACING MECHANISM FOR SPLIT PLATENS Walter A. Anderson,Trumbull, Conn., assignor to Underwood Corporation, New York, N. Y., acorporation of Delaware Application May 12, 1953, Serial No. 354,513

4 Claims. (Cl. 197-129) This invention relates to a split platen feedingmechanism for accounting machines, and more particularly to a mechanismfor selectively feeding the parts of a twopart or split platen, eithersimilar or different line space distances.

When using a two-part platen with a separate record carried by eachpart, it is sometimes desirable to complete a number of entries invarious columns laterally, on successive lines, and in separate groups,either single or double line-spaced, on one of the records, and to makeonly a single line entry on the other record corresponding to eachgroup, this latter entry being also either single or double line-spaced.In such instances, if both records are fed simultaneously, considerablepaper on the latter record is wasted.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a mechanismfor feeding during a machine cycle only that portion of the platen whichis in operative relation with the printing type bars during the cycle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism forfeeding either portion of the platen different line-spacings which maybe used in combination with a selective feeding control that allows thefeeding mechanism to operate only in predetermined columnar positions ofthe paper carriage.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists incertain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, theimportant elements of which are herein set forth in appended claims, anda preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter described withreference to the drawings which accompany and form part of thespecification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation taken from the left side of the machineshowing the left-hand line-spacing mechanism in its normal position andthe connections thereof for operation by the machine cycling means,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, with machine and carriage frameelements omitted, showing the parts in tlhe positions they assume whenthe machine is at mid cyc e,

Figure 3 is a fragmental left side elevation showing the line-spacemechanism fully cocked, and about to be released as the machine nearsmid cycle.

Figure 4 is a side elevation taken from the right side of the machineshowing the right-hand line-space mechanism in its normal position,

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the positions of carriage paper feedstops and the divisions of the line-space mechanism and platen, and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the two parts of the platen, thetwo parts of the line-spacing mechanism and two records having one ofthe many types of printings for which the present invention is adapted.

General description The present invention is herein shown as applied toa key set, motor actuated accounting machine having a traveling papercarriage with suitable function control lugs on the rear thereof similarto the machine disclosed in Patent No. 1,946,505, issued to Oscar I.Sundstrand, dated February 13, 1934, to which patent reference may bemade for an understanding of features of construction and mode ofoperation not fully described or illustrated herein.

Detailed description Referring now to the drawings, a traveling papercar- 2,703,642 Patented Mar. 8, 1955 riage indicated generally by thenumeral 10 (Figures 1, 4 and 5) is mounted on anti-friction bearings 11supported in a rail 13, said rail being mounted on the machine frame,not shown. It is moved from right to left, as seen in Figure 5 in itstabulating or working stroke past type bars (not shown), and is arrestedin the various columnar printing positions on the records by means ofstops on a control plate similar to that disclosed in the patent toWalter A. Anderson, No. 2,634,051, dated April 7, 1953. A suitable poweroperated return mechanism returns the carriage to its right-handposition.

While the carriage is arrested in each of its columnar positions, themachine is operable to perform the necessary accounting functions and toprint the proper entry on one of the work sheets, and in certaincolumnar positions the record sheets may be line-spaced, under thecontrol of the carriage. To perform these operations, the machine iscycled by means of the mechanism disclosed in the above mentionedpatent, during which a lever 16, comparable to the lever 19 in saidpatent, is rocked first counter-clockwise, as seen in Figure 1, about ashaft 17 mounted in the machine frame, to the position shown in Figure2, and then clockwise to return the lever 16 to its normal position, thefirst movement thereof being hereinafter referred to as the forward, andthe second as the return strokes of the machine cycle. Mounted on thelever 16 is a cam 19 which, with the lever 16 in its normal position isabutted by a feed slide 20, mounted for slidable movement on studs 22and 23 fixed in the machine frame and tensioned rearwardly by a spring25. Pivoted on a stationary stud 26 is an arm 28 carrying a roller 29,and having a depending cam portion 31, see Figure 2, which rests on aroller 32 mounted on the feed slide 20, to normally hold the arm 28 inits raised position against the tension of a spring 34.

The carriage 10 comprises, in part, left and right side plates 35 and 37respectively supported in spaced relation by means of a frame indicatedby the numeral 38 in Figure 5. Mounted on shafts 40 and 41 journalled inthe carriage side plates is a split platen composed of two parts 43 and44, Figure 6, spacing wheels 46 and 47 individual to the two parts ofthe platen being secured on the outer ends of the platen shafts 40 and41. Movement of these spacing wheels rotates their respective shafts,and thereby advances their respective record sheets, the movement of onespacing wheel and platen having no effect on the other. The details ofconstruction of the platen shafts and the manner in which the platensare secured thereto may be similar to the construction disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 1,880,220, issued to Oscar J. Sundstrand.

Pivoted on pintles 49 of the carriage frame 38 are independent hingedfeed plates 50 and 52, Figure 5, individual to the two parts 43 and 44of the platen respectively. Fixed on the plates 50 and 52 are brackets53 and 55, respectively, carrying studs 56 and 58 pivotally mountingfeed pawls 59 and 61, Figures 1 and 4. The feed pawls are tensioned bymeans of springs 62 and 64 to normally abut stops 65 and 67 fixed in thebrackets 53 and 55. In this normal position, pawls are held fromengagement with the spacing wheels 46 and 47.

The feed plates 50 and 52 are normally held in the Figure 1 position tooverlie the roller 29 on the arm 28. To yieldingly hold the plates insuch position, arms 68 and 70, pivoted on the studs 56 and 58,respectively, and each provided with a slot 71, are mounted for slidablemovement forwardly and rearwardly on pins 72 fixed in the carriage sideplates 35 and 37. These arms are constantly urged forwardly to aposition wherein the rear end of the slot 71 abuts the pin 72, by meansof springs 74, to set the normal position of the plates 50 and 52.

The present invention provides means for feeding only that portion ofthe two-part platen which is in operative relation with the printingtype bars during that operation. For such feeding, a lever 75 is pivotedon the stud 26 and has a hook portion 77 overlying the upper rear edgesof feed plates 50 and 52. Pivoted on a stud 78 in the lever 75 is atrigger 80, normally held by a spring 86 under a square pin 81 fixed inthe lever 28. A spring 87 secured to the forward end of lever 75 urgesthe lever 75 clockwise to the Figure 1 position wherein trigger 80 maybe rocked under square stud 81 of lever 28 and the hook portion 77 willbe positioned above the normal position of feed plates 50 and 52 toensure that there will be no interference between hook 77 and plates 50and 52 during carriage travel.

With the carriage in position for printing in the various columns of arecord sheet supported on the portion 43 of the two part platen, feedplate 50 underlies the hook 77. During the forward stroke of the machinecycle the cam 19 on lever 16 moves rearwardly, releasing slide 20 whichfollows cam 19 under the urge of a spring 25. Cam roller 32 releases thecam portion 31 of lever 28, which is then rocked by spring 34 to lowerthe roller 29. Due to the abutment of trigger 80 and square stud 81,such rocking of the lever 28 causes the lever 75 to rock downwardlyalso, whereupon hook 77 rocks the plate downwardly about its pintles 49,to cock the feed pawl 59 for later engagement with the spacing wheel 46as shown in Figure 3.

Since the carriage may be tabulated to a new columnar positionimmediately after printing is effected, that is, during the second halfof the cycle, hook 77 must be returned to its upper position prior tothis time. During the last portion of movement of lever 75, a rearwardlyextending tail of trigger 80 contacts a collar 92 on pivot 17 to rotatetrigger 80 clockwise from under square stud 81. Lever is therebyreleased for return to its normal position by spring 87 with hook 77above the feed plates 50 and 52. Slide 20 and lever 28 remain in theiractuated positions so that at the end of the first half cycle, the partsare in the positions shown in Figure 2. The release of hook 77 freesfeed plate 50 to the action of its spring 74 and the feed platethereupon returns to the Figure 2 position wherein pawl 59 engages in atooth of spacing wheel 46. Spring 74 is not however strong enough tocause rotation of wheel 46 and there will be no line-spacing of platen43 at this time. As the machine traverses the return stroke of thecycle, the feed slide 20 is returned to its normal forward position bythe cam 19, the roller 32 engaging the cam portion 31 of lever 28 toraise that lever, during which movement roller 29, acting upon the lowersurface of plate 50, rocks the plate upwardly and advances the portion43 of the platen by the engaging of the feed pawl 59 with the teeth ofthe spacing wheel 46. At the fully returned position of lever 28, thetrigger 80 is restored to its normal position under square stud 81 andthe feeding mechanism is fully restored to the normal, Figure 1,position.

After the completion of the desired printings on the record supported onportion 43 of the platen, the carriage is tabulated into position forprinting on a record supported on the portion 44 of said platen. Withthis movement of the carriage, plate 52 moves into operative relationwith the hook 77. The movement of the parts to advance the platen duringa machine cycle is identical with that described above, excepting thatwith the rocking downwardly of the plate 52 by the hook 77, and itsreturn by the roller 29, the portion 44 of the platen is advanced by theengagement of the feed pawl 61 in the teeth of the spacing wheel 47.

The present invention includes means for setting the feed pawls 59 and61 to either prevent their advancing the associated portion 43 or 44 ofthe platen, or to enable the advancing thereof one or two teeth of thespacing wheels 46 and 47 during operation of the associated feed pawls.To do this, a pin 93 is fixed in the feed pawls 59 and 61. Mounted forforward and rearward movement on studs 95 and 96 are a left slide 98 anda right slide 99, each of which includes an inclined edge 101 forengagement by the pins 93. The slides 98 and 99 are detented in threepositions by means of detents 102 engaging a pin 104, carried by saidslides, under the tension of springs 105, and are each provided with aconvenient handle 107 for shifting them between their extreme forwardposition wherein the cam edge 101 thereof is so set as to engage the pin93 and prevent engagement of the feed pawl 59 or 61 and teeth of thespacing wheels 46 and 47, and their center or rearward positions whereinthe engagement of the inclined edge 101 and pin 93 enables theengagement of the feed pawls with one and two teeth of the spacingwheels respectively.

With the present invention, various types of accounting work may beperformed, one of which is illustrated in Figure 6. The illustrationshows tapes 108 and 110 which we may assume to be supported on theplaten portions 43 and 44 respectively. Printings may be made in severalcolumns on each tape, utilizing the full capacity of the two partplaten. As the hook 77 is not directly to the rear of the printing pointof the usual type bars, the position laterally in the carriage whereinthe plates 50 and 52 are separated, as indicated by the numeral 111,Figure 5, is offset with relation to the point of separation of the twopart platen, as shown, enabling printing on the tapes without loss ofhorizontal printing space, and subsequent advancing of one portion ofthe platen while the carriage is tabulating to the printing columnarposition on the other. Also, as is shown, a multiplicity of verticalprintings may be made in several columns on tape 108, while single lineentries with single line-spacings are printed on tape 110, withconsequent conservation of the paper comprising tape 110.

Studs 89, Figure 5, represent the usual columnar position carriage stopswhich arrest the carriage 10 in the desired positions and may bepositioned in selected locations to enable printing in any chosenpositions on the platens 43 and 44. As is well known in the art, otherstuds may be aligned with studs 89 to control the effectiveness of slide20 to determine a feed or non-feed of the platen at each columnarposition.

It will be apparent from the above description of a preferred embodimentof the invention that many variations of structure are possible withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine of the class described having a carriage laterally movableinto columnar positions, a two part platen rotatable in said carriage tosupport work sheets for printing thereon, a cyclically operableactuating means, two elongated plates arranged end to end in saidcarriage, each plate having a length substantially the same as therelated section of said two part platen and cyclically operable by saidactuating means so long as the related section of said platen is in aprinting position, a separately adjustable platen rotating means foreach section of said two part platen and operating members between saidplates and said platen rotating means.

2. A machine of the class described including a carriage movablelaterally into predetermined columnar positions, at two part platen insaid carriage, each part of said platen being rotatable to advance awork sheet supported thereby, a platen rotating mechanism individual toeach part of said platen, and a cyclically operable actuating means forsaid platen rotating mechanisms, said actuating means comprising a pairof releasably connected cyclically operated members, one member duringoperation actuating either of said platen rotating mechanisms in an idlestroke and the other driven to thereafter restore said mechanism for awork sheet feeding movement, means to release the connection betweensaid members to free said one member for return to its normal positionat the end of said idle stroke and means to restore said other member tonormal position and thereby restore said platen rotating mechanism.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said platenrotating mechanisms includes an actuatable part elongated in thedirection of movement of said carriage, the actuatable parts of the twosaid rotating mechanisms being substantially colinear and eachactuatable part being engaged between said cyclically operated memberswhen the work sheet carried by said platen rotated thereby is alignedwith a predetermined position.

4. An accounting machine of the class described having a frame, acarriage laterally movable on said frame into columnar positions, a twopart platen rotatable in said carriage, means individual to each part ofsaid platen to rotate the associated part of said platen, each platenrotating means being operable in an idle stroke and a return, platenrotating stroke, a pair of aligned pivoted plates on said carriage, eachplate operable to actuate one of said platen rotating means andextending in the direction of carriage motion a distance substantiallyequal to the length of the part of the platen rotated thereby, acyclically operated member on said frame to restore a plate alignedtherewith to a normal position, another member to move said plate fromsaid normal position, a connecting arm pivoted on said other member andnormally engaged with a portion of said cyclically operated member,means to actuate said cyclically operated mem- 5 6 her, amtih astationary faart engaged fby sgiid ciorglifcting References Cited in thefile of this patent arm at e mi point 0 movement 0 sai cyc ic y operatedmember to free said other member for return to UNITED STATES PATENTSnormal position prior to restoration of said cyclically 795,377 WalesJuly 25, 1905 operated member. 5 2,084,519 Anderson June 22, 1937

